The Return
by Lord of Kavaka
Summary: They'd been stranded on an island for almost 5 months, and now it's time to go home... where everything has changed. Sequel to SOLID GROUND.
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE**: The Return  
**AUTHOR**: Lord of Kavaka  
**CHARACTERS**: Castle/Beckett  
**RATING**: T (M later)  
**TIMELINE**: Post-Season 5 AU; Sequel to SOLID GROUND.  
**STORY TYPE**: Romance/Drama  
**SPOILERS**: Anything from Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5  
**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own them, and I make no profit.  
**SUMMARY**: They'd been stranded on an island for almost 5 months, and now it's time to go home... where everything has changed.  
**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: I would suggest reading SOLID GROUND before this one, if you haven't already. Beckett's "condition" will feature, but it won't be the central focus in this story, which will be Castle and Beckett readjusting to life back in New York after spending close to 5 months stranded on a tropical island in the South Pacific.

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**The Return – Chapter 1**

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"_Life isn't about finding yourself.  
__Life is about creating yourself."  
_- George Bernard Shaw

* * *

The waves gently crashed against the shore in a steady rhythm that was oddly soothing. Closing her eyes, Kate Beckett inhaled deeply the scent of the ocean breeze, finding comfort in it. There had been a time, not too long ago, when such a thing could never bring her as much comfort as it did now. She supposed she must have grown accustomed to it over the last four and a half months on that island in the South Pacific.

It was all so surreal. And strange.

She had spent so much time stranded on one tropical island, and now here she was, finally sitting at a beach side restaurant on another one. Though there weren't going to be any mojitos in her immediate future. Kate settled back in her chair, and looked out across the open terrace at the beach. The sun was shining high in the sky, its warmth soothing. She took a moment to just bask in the stillness of the midday. Things moved at a different pace here. There was none of that hustle and bustle that there was in New York City.

She fingered her engagement ring, and pursed her lips, furrowing her brow, as she thought about the reunion that was about to occur. Castle had already reunited with their families while she'd been kept overnight in the hospital after the _USS Hamilton_ had rescued them from the island and safely delivered them to Hawaii. The doctors had been concerned about her, because of her condition, and had wanted to run some tests on her to make sure that she and her baby were okay. Kate hadn't wanted them to visit her in the hospital, since such a visit simply brought back too many unwelcomed memories for her.

And she was worried about revealing her condition. It was going to be a lot to take in. She'd left home one way, but was going to return another. She could only imagine what Lanie's reaction was going to be when they finally made it all the way back home.

Kate reached out for the glass of water she had asked for when the waitress had come by to check on her. Bringing it up to her lips, she took a delicate sip. She hadn't been particularly hungry that morning, much to Castle's dismay. He'd wanted to order her a full egg breakfast, but she had talked him down to just waffles and a bowl of fruit, which she nibbled at while he took a quick shower and got dressed.

She had been uncharacteristically lazy that morning, wanting to just stay in bed all day. It hadn't helped that Castle had thoroughly sated her with some amazing lovemaking, but in truth, Kate was worrying about seeing their families. She knew she was probably overthinking things, but she was worried about their reactions to her condition. When she'd finally got up, showered, and got dressed, she'd made sure to pull on a loose blouse that hid her growing middle.

Now she was sitting here in the sun, sipping water as she waited for Castle. He'd left the hotel suite before she had gotten into the shower, claiming he had an errand to run before their lunch date with their families. Kate had had no idea what sort of 'errand' he could possibly need to do, but he'd been holding her close and nuzzling his nose against that one spot under her ear that left her breathless to even really question him on it. So she let him go, and got ready by herself, going downstairs to the beachside restaurant attached to their hotel.

Taking one last sip of the water, she set the glass back down on the table and glanced around at the other hotel guests sitting down to enjoy lunch out on the terrace overlooking the ocean. The droning buzz of everyone talking was a little overwhelming. Kate wasn't used to being surrounded by so many people. Their group of survivors had been relatively small, and once they'd settled in Haven, the little village they constructed in the jungle on the island, they had all built their hut separate from each other. Castle and her hut had been up the hill away from the main conglomeration of huts, namely so they'd have some privacy.

Kate was beginning to think this had been a bad idea. Surely they could just reunite with their families up in the hotel suite. With Castle's prestige and money they'd gotten a room in the hotel that was more like a small apartment. She was just about to get up, when someone appeared behind her. Kate sucked in a breath, settling back down in her chair, immediately recognizing his scent.

"Hey, gorgeous," Castle bent down to press a lingering kiss against her neck and cheek, nuzzling his nose into her hair.

Kate couldn't help but giggle and smile brightly, happy and in love. He ran a hand affectionately along her shoulder and arm as he moved around her to take a seat beside her at the table. His hand found hers and their fingers were soon interlocked as his thumb rubbed small patterns on the top of her hand.

"Where have you been?" she asked, giving him one of her patented glares, though the smile on her lips belied the stern quality to her voice. She couldn't help it. Castle looked ridiculously adorable in his hibiscus blue Aloha Hawaiian shirt, which brought out that child-like twinkle in his eyes. "If I didn't know better, I'd have thought you were going to leave me at the mercy of my Dad, Martha, and Alexis."

"Never," he asserted, clutching her hand tighter and pulling it up to his lips to press a kiss against her knuckles, the waggle of his eyebrows almost ruining the chivalrous mannerism.

Kate bit her lower lip and smiled up at him. "So, where were you?"

"Around about," Castle answered enigmatically with a sly grin.

She cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. "Before you left me thoroughly sated in bed, you told me you had an errand to run. We've just got back to civilization, Castle. What errand was so important it couldn't wait until later?"

He pressed his lips together in a boyish grin. Untangling their fingers, he slipped his hand into the pocket of his white khakis—leave it to Rick Castle to dress the part when in Hawaii. "Surprise!" Castle declared, grinning broadly at her as he produced a small box wrapped in cheerful floral wrapping paper that nearly matched his shirt in design and pattern.

"Rick?" she furrowed her brow in confusion, taking the present from him to hold it in her hands. She narrowed her eyes and examined it. It was only slightly larger than a ring box. Frowning, she tried to guess what it was. He didn't need to give her a ring. He'd already done that, and she was quite happy with that ring. After examining the festive wrapping for another second or two, Kate flicked her eyes back up to Castle, giving him a quizzical expression. "What's this?"

"Open it and find out," he encouraged with a slight smirk, his eyes twinkling in that mischievous way of his that had her a little worried that whatever might be inside could possibly be inappropriate for a beachside restaurant.

"Don't worry," he piped in, seeming to sense her hesitation. "It's nothing embarrassing." He scooted closer. "Stop stalling, and open it."

Kate swallowed, and pulled her bottom lip under her teeth, carefully tearing at the wrapping paper until she uncovered the black box underneath. She knitted her eyebrows together, and put aside the used wrapping paper, tugging the lid of the box open. She gasped when she saw what laid inside. "Wow… Castle, it's beautiful," she declared, staring at the charm bracelet inside.

She gently pulled it out and examined each little charm attached to the silver bracelet. A smile spread across her face as she recognized the story being told… _their_ story. She looked up at him, happy tears welling up in her eyes. Reaching out, she grabbed his face and pulled him in for a deep kiss. "Thank you, Castle," she beamed. "So this is what you were up to?"

He bobbed his head. "I went to a local shop while the doctors were running all those test on you yesterday and wouldn't let me in with you," he explained. "I got a message from the hotel's front desk from the shop owner saying that it was ready for pick up."

"Ready… wait… Castle? Are these little charms all…?"

"Custom made? Yes," he pursed his lips nervously. "Are you angry?"

She knitted her eyebrows together. "No, no, of course not, just surprised," she reassured him, smoothing her hand down the side of his clean-shaven face. He'd shaved his island beard off earlier that morning, much to her pleasure. "I guess... I almost forgot how rich you were."

Castle chuckled. "And the apartment-sized hotel suite didn't remind you?"

Kate grinned. "Hard to notice the size of the hotel suite when we've spent most of the time there in the bed," she winked and gave him another quick kiss. "Thank you, again. I love it. What's this for?"

He gave her a questionable look. "Don't you know what day it is?" Castle asked, his brow creasing.

"No. Should I?"

"It's November 17th," he supplied, gazing adoringly at her. "It's your birthday, Kate."

"My… my birthday?" her eyes flirted back down to the charm bracelet in her hand. "This… is my birthday present?"

"Yep," chirped Castle with a playful smirk, leaning closer. "Happy Birthday, Katherine Houghton Beckett." He then leaned in the rest of the way, cupping her jaw with his palm and kissing the stunned expression off her face.

Kate sighed, easing into his hold and melting into his kiss. She had wondered why he'd been so attentive to her needs that morning. He'd definitely made love to her quite thoroughly in the wee hours of the morning. At the time she'd thought it was just him reveling in the fact they finally had a bed to do such things in again, but now… now she knew better. Castle had been starting her birthday out with a bang.

"I don't know what I ever did to deserve you," she declared as they pulled back for air, resting her forehead against his as he continued to stroke his fingers through her hair.

"Whatever it was, I'm glad you did it," Castle said, gazing at her with undisguised love and adoration. "Because I can't imagine my life without you. I love you, Kate."

"I love you, too, Rick," she surged forward, kissing him again for all she was worth, not at all carrying about the audience they had in this beachside restaurant. This was Hawaii, after all. It probably wasn't the first time a couple started sucking face like this in the middle of the restaurant. Oh yes, Kate thought, this was going to be a birthday she'd likely never forget. And that was not even mentioning the impending reunion with _her_ father, and _his_ mother and daughter.

XXX

"You nervous?" he asked, reassuringly rubbing his thumb across the top of her hand.

She squeezed her fingers around his, and suppressed the need to roll her eyes at the under statement of the century, inclining her head in the affirmative. "It's a lot to take in, Castle," she asserted. "You sure you didn't… I mean… that first night, when I was in the hospital and you met them in the cafeteria, you… you didn't drop some hints, did you?"

"Why? Had you wanted me to?" Castle hooted, his eyebrows shooting up in concern, suddenly worried he'd made a mistake of omitting the main reason the doctors had wanted to keep her overnight. He hadn't exactly lied to them, but he hadn't told them everything, leaving out the fact Kate was three and a half months pregnant.

"No, no," she shook her head, squeezing his hand in reassurance. "I was just wondering. Don't worry, Castle." She reached up and held the side of his face, caressing his smoothed cheek with her thumb. "I just wanted to know how much they knew."

"Oh," he relaxed with a sigh, flashing her a quick smile. "Mother wasn't even surprised they were keeping you overnight."

"What? Why?"

He gave her a pointed look. "You are naturally thin, Kate," he said. "And you do have a habit of not eating when you're stressed."

"So… so they thought I was malnourished?" she hooted in alarm.

"Better than the alternative," he said under his breath.

Kate frowned and then caught the look in his eye. "Yeah," she replied with a nod, knowing he was referring to all the times she'd gotten injured on the line of duty. He was right. Having their families think she just needed to get her strength back after being stranded on an island was better than them thinking she'd been severely injured during the crash and the subsequent extended stay before rescue. "Did you tell them anything else?"

"If you're referring to John, then no," Castle sighed. "I figured it best to leave out the fact that there was a hitman out to kill you… _us_."

"Yeah, probably for the best," she agreed, squeezing his hand.

Castle's eyes flicked up and over her shoulder. He looked back at her and smiled reassuringly. "They're here. You ready?"

Kate inhaled deeply and stifled down all the worrying butterflies in her stomach, forcing a smile on her face. "About as ready as I can be," she replied. Castle gave a nod, and kissed her quickly, before standing up to greet their families.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Return – Chapter 2**

Her heart was pounding so profoundly inside her chest, she almost expected it to jump right out. She stayed in her seat as Castle got up and moved around her, listening to the cheers and cries of joy as he greeted his mother and daughter. She could hear the familiar slap of two men exchanging a bear hug. And then that rich and warm voice that belonged to her father drifted across the gentle breeze as he exchanged greetings with her fiancé. She was momentarily stunned with how strong the bond between the two most important men in her life sounded.

"Katie?" he was calling her name now.

Struggling to contain all her emotions, Kate gripped the armrests on the chair and pushed herself up. Turning around with watery eyes, she came face to face with her father. She had been so worried about him while they'd been stranded on the island. Her father didn't have a good track record when it came to dealing with loss. But here he was, grounded and sober, not a hint of a relapse showing on his loving features.

Jim pursed his lips as he gazed at her with the love that only a father could offer. He raised his hand and brushed back some loose strands of her hair that had fallen over her face. She closed her eyes and sighed, easing into his touch. Her emotions overcame her at that moment, and she let out a sob of joy, collapsing into her father's arms, overjoyed to once again feel his arms wrap around her and the hints of his familiar aftershave permeate the air around them.

"Daddy," she choked out, clutching onto him tightly.

His arms squeezed around her, comforting and reassuring her in a way only a father's embrace could. Kate buried her face into his shoulder and breathed him in, as if she needed further proof that he was real. He leaned back, smiling at her, moving his hands up and down her arms in a away that was all too familiar from when she was little and needed comfort from her father. She smiled at the memory, pleased it had the same effect now as it did back then.

"There's my Katiebug," he murmured, making her smile even more. He cupped the side of her face with his palm and leaned forward to kiss her forehead like he had many times when she was a little girl needing reassurance from her daddy that there weren't monsters under her bed.

Kate brought her hands up and squeezed his arms in return, surprised at just how much she had needed her father. She bit her lower lip, feeling her cheeks flush a bit on a small blush, a little embarrassed at how she'd let her emotions overwhelm her and take control. Her father noticed and pursed his lips, giving her an amused look, before he kissed her cheek and stepped back to let the others in.

"Katherine, darling!" Martha declared in her usual theatrical flare, sweeping in to wrap Kate up in her arms in dramatic fashion. She suddenly found herself surrounded by an abundant of flamboyant colors. It was so very Martha. Kate found it oddly comforting. "You have no idea how happy I am that you two are safe and sound. And all in one piece!"

"It's good to see you, too, Martha," Kate replied smiling brightly, always enjoying Castle's mother's unique brand of enthusiasm.

The redheaded diva pulled back, her keen eyes dropping down a moment before she glanced back up at Kate with an odd expression. Kate held her breath, wondering if Martha was going to blurt out what she had obviously noticed when the two had hugged. Mercifully, Martha remained silent, giving Kate a knowing wink as she stepped back.

And now Kate was facing a nervous looking Alexis. The teen—no, young woman—gazed at her with an anxious expression before Castle gently touched her shoulder and encouraged her forward with a fatherly nod. Alexis pursed her lips and inched forward, embracing Kate in a quick, yet affectionate hug.

"I'm so glad you're back, Kate," Alexis stated, voice heavy with emotion, looking up at her with admiration and relief.

"We have Alexis to thank for our rescue," Castle chimed in, smiling proudly. "She never gave up."

"I couldn't just accept what everyone was telling me," Alexis rushed to explain, looking near frantic to be understood. "I've never seen anyone struggle so much to find one another. Both of you worked too hard to find each other. You deserved a happy ending, and… I wouldn't accept anything less."

"That's my daughter! Always the romantic!" Castle proclaimed, draping an arm around her shoulder and squeezing her close to his chest. Alexis slanted into him, one hand darting up to clutch at his shirt, always his little girl.

"Must be genetic," Martha asserted with a broad grin, giving her son a wink and squeezing his hand affectionately. Castle pulled his mother in, and the three Castles had a group hug.

Kate stood back with her father and watched the interaction between the three others. She tilted her head and caught her dad staring at her. She raised her eyebrow in question.

"You sure you want to join this family?" he asked, a twinkle dancing in his eyes she hadn't seen in a long time. "They definitely like to hug." He paused, and then added, with emphasis, "_A lot_."

Kate chuckled and reached out to place her hand on her father's shoulder, just needing to touch him again. "Yes, I'm sure," she affirmed, turning her eyes away from her dad to gaze tenderly at Castle hugging his too other special ladies. Nothing was going to stop her now from joining this amazing family that had opened their arms to her and accepted her without question. They were her future, and she wouldn't give that up for anything.

XXX

"I'm sure you're tired of answering all these questions, but what was it like living on a remote island with nothing to use but what could be salvaged from the crash and found on the island?" Jim asked after they'd all sat down and ordered, leaning forward on his elbows, clearly interested in how they'd survived. Castle couldn't blame him, if the roles had been reversed, he'd be curious as well. But then again, he was naturally curious. It was just part of his nature.

Jim had been looking at Kate when he'd asked his question, but she turned to Castle, a sly grin on her lips. "You wanna field that for us, Rick?"

"Sure, sweet ch—_sweetie_," Castle fumbled, catching himself just at the last second before he used the affectionate nickname that referred to his fiancée's cute little behind. Kate's eyes were wide, the hint of panic flashing over them, but luckily no one seemed to notice his little slip up. "It was difficult at first, but after some time, we managed. Those of us that survived built a little community, which we called Haven." He paused to take a sip of his water. "Fortunately the island wasn't too small, so there was plenty of fruit to gather and game to hunt."

"Let me guess, Katherine did the hunting," Martha interjected with a lively wink at Kate.

"That I did," Kate answered. "Me and a few others. We'd been able to fashion some javelins out of solid branches. They were crude, but effective. Castle tried going with us on the first go, but he slipped down a slope, startling the boars. If I hadn't been quick to react, we wouldn't have had any meat that week."

"Bravo!" declared Martha, raising her glass in salute.

Kate smiled and returned the gesture, sipping from her glass of cranberry juice. Castle shifted forward, not wanting his family to believe he'd been completely useless on the island.

"I may not have been that good at hunting, but I helped out in other ways," he asserted.

"How?" Alexis asked, being the dutiful daughter and showing interest. He gave her a thankful grin.

"I was quite good with snares and traps for smaller game," he supplied. Castle felt Kate slip her hand into his, giving him a supportive squeeze.

"He did more than that," she asserted, gazing at him adoringly, a warm and loving smile on her face. He couldn't help but smile back at her. "I came back one afternoon after a particularly disappointing hunt to find that he'd made a bow for me."

"A bow!?" hooted Alexis in astonishment, glancing across at her father with a dubious expression. "Are you serious? Dad actually made you a bow?"

Kate nodded. "And arrows," she added.

"Wow," his daughter said, leaning back in her chair and reaching for her glass.

"What?" Castle raised his eyebrows in challenge. "What's so surprising about that?" He puffed out his chest. "I'm crafty."

Martha threw her head back and laughed loudly, drawing the attention of some of the other restaurant patrons nearby. "That's definitely one word to describe you, kiddo."

Castle gave his mother an exasperated look.

Alexis still appeared stunned. She leaned forward, setting her drink down and ignoring it. "Seriously? _With_ his hands? My Dad… Richard Castle, made a bow and arrows from scratch?"

"I'm right here," Castle asserted with a hint of offense, waving his hands dramatically. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Well…," Alexis fumbled for a response, leaning back and giving him an apologetic expression. "Because you're… well… you're _you_, Dad."

Castle huffed and stuck out his lower lip on a boyish pout. "I worked really hard on that bow. And I'm not above admitting I'm a little disappointed my spawn doesn't believe I'm capable of such things."

"Did you just call me your _spawn_?" Alexis declared, crossing her arms over her chest and gracing him with her own version of the infamous Beckett-glare. _God, that's scary_, Castle thought as he looked at his daughter with slight trepidation, wondering when she'd picked up that particular characteristic.

"Speaking of _spawn_," Martha piped up, putting her glass down, and giving Kate a knowing look. Castle felt her stiffen, and he glanced over at her with concern. And then his mother dropped the bomb by asking, "How far along are you, my dear?"

Jim coughed, nearly spitting out the sparkling water he'd been drinking. It got so bad that Castle had to lean over and pat the man on the back when his face got red. With a slightly shaky hand, Jim placed his glass back down on the table and shook his head, staring at his daughter in confusion, running a hand down the side of his face.

"_Far along_?" he echoed. "Katie?"

Castle turned and looked at Kate, who'd gone completely pink with embarrassment. He quickly glared at his mother, who gave a contrite shrug of her shoulders. "Sorry," she said softly. "I didn't know it was some big secret." The colorful bangles on her wrists made a jingle noise as she threw her hands up in apology.

"Obviously not, _Mother_," he hissed out, moving a hand up and down Kate's back to soothe her. She bit her lower lip and glanced up at him with a grateful expression, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it for reassurance.

"Well?" Jim asked, finding his voice again.

"The doctors confirmed yesterday that I'm three and a half months pregnant," Kate confessed, surprisingly calm and with a strong voice, no hint of her anxious or nerves. Castle couldn't help but gaze admiringly at her. She'd never cease to amaze him.

"I… I'm going to be grandfather?" her father asked, clearly in shook.

"Yes," Kate bit her lower lip, tears forming in her eyes. Castle hoped they were happy tears. "Yes, Dad, you are."

Jim Beckett stood up from his chair and walked around the table to embrace his daughter in a fierce hug. Kate returned it in kind, and Castle leaned back and watched father and daughter, wondering if he'd react the same way someday when Alexis broke the news… _Wait, scratch that_, he thought to himself, feeling a tinge of panic, _not when… if… if! I'm too young to be grandfather_.

Castle was startled out of his grandparental-fear-induced concerns, when Jim grabbed his hand and shook it, before pulling him into a hug. "Thank you, Rick," he said. "Thank you so much. You've brought my daughter back to life and given her a future I know her mother would be proud of, because… I'm proud of it. And proud to have you as my son-in-law."

"_Future_ son-in-law," Martha chirped in, ruining the moment. She smiled cautiously, noting Castle's scowl. "They've yet to wed."

"Well, that'll have to be remedied, wouldn't it, _Rick_," Jim stressed, his hand suddenly tightening around Castle's. He gulped and looked up at Mr. Beckett with a frightened expression. "You do plan on making an honest woman out of my daughter, don't you?"

"Um… yes, sir… of course," he answered.

"_Dad_, go easy on him," Kate warned, giving her father an admonishing look.

"If you say so, sweetie," Jim said, affectionately squeezing her shoulder and returning to his seat.

"I do," she asserted with authority. "Castle's more than proven himself." She turned and looked at him, smiling warmly, taking his hand in hers, before redirecting her gaze back to her father. "He's the one, Dad. The one Mom said I'd find one day. The one who'd love me for all my strengths and flaws… for me." Kate turned back to Castle, and her eyes were so emotionally expressive as she gazed at him, showing the true depth of her love. "And I love him, with my whole being. He made me believe in magic again."

"And for that, I'm forever grateful," Jim declared with a happy smile, raising his glass of sparkling water and tipping it slightly in thanks.

Castle let out a sigh, not realizing he'd been holding in his breath. He looked at Kate and smiled at her, leaning forward to give her a chaste kiss on the lips, well aware of their present audience. When he leaned back, he turned and spotted Alexis sitting quietly, watching them with her too mature crystal blue eyes.

"Alexis?" he questioned hesitantly. "You're awfully quiet."

His voice seemed to snap her out of wherever her mind had gone. Her eyes flicked up to his and her features relaxed in a smile. "I'm happy for you, Dad… for both of you," she asserted. "I'm just stunned. I didn't expect this. Not at all. I mean… somewhere down the line, I knew… I knew you'd have more kids. I… guess I just wasn't expecting it so soon."

"Is that a bad thing?" Kate asked, inhaling an anxious breath.

"No," Alexis answered at length, smiling at Kate. "No. Not at all. It's a good thing. I've always wanted a sibling."

"True," Castle chimed in, leaning closer to Kate. "When she was little, she'd asked Santa for a little brother or sister."

"And I'll finally get one now," Alexis beamed, blessedly looking ecstatic. "I get to be a big sister!"

"Yes, you will," Kate confirmed.

"You'll be a great mom, Kate," Alexis declared, rather confidently, much to Castle's surprise. "And if you need any help, I'll be more than happy to assist."

"Thank you, Alexis, I'll keep that in mind," Kate pursed her lips and smiled.

Castle reached out across the table and gave his daughter's hand a thankful squeeze. She grinned back, looking all bubbly and excited that one of her longest standing wishes was finally coming true. He was pleased. Out of everyone, Alexis's reaction was the one he had been most worried about. There was one other person present yet to assert her perspective. Castle cautiously turned towards his mother, ready to face her boundless opinions.

Mercifully, he was spared her ramblings thanks in large part to the arrival of their orders. He sighed, relieved, and heartily dug into the first cheeseburger he'd had in months. He knew he was probably going to pay for it later, but it was worth it.

After they'd eaten, and Castle and Jim had argued over who'd pay the bill, his future father-in-law winning, much to his chagrin, the expectant parents found themselves sitting alone with Martha as they waited for Alexis and Jim to return from using the restrooms. Castle noticed his mother staring at him, and it was getting on his nerves. He couldn't take it anymore, so he gave up and let out a sigh, turning to face her.

"You have something to say, Mother?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Martha declared with a dramatic flourish. "Dear Lord, Richard, what were you thinking!?" she declared, looking disappointed in him. "Doing that to poor Katherine while stranded on some remote island without access to proper medical support? I thought I taught you better than that."

"Hey!" he hooted, jumping to his own defense. "I'm not entirely to blame. Plus, we had all the medical support we could need."

"One of the other survivors was an EMT," Kate jumped in, helping him out. "She was a great help to me… to us. And I trust her completely."

Martha nodded, accepting Kate's assertion. Castle, though, wasn't satisfied. He felt he deserved an apology. He leaned forward, fixing his mother with a pointed look. "Besides, Mother, weren't you the one that taught me it takes two to tango?" he growled out, his voice unintentionally raising a bit.

"Castle," Kate hissed out, grabbing his hand and jerking her head towards the other tables around them.

"Not my fault," he grumbled. "She brought it up."

Kate sighed, brushing her hair back from her face. "Well, might as well just jump into the fire while we're at it, huh?" she mumbled under her breath before turning to his mother. "It's alright, Martha," she assured, placing a hand on the curved bump hidden under her loose blouse. "This baby may not have been planned, but it's wanted… so badly. By both of us." Kate paused, pursing her lips and gazing off into space, looking as if she was remembering the struggle to resist their desires for one another back on the island. "We held off as long as we could. In the end, we both caved."

"I concede your point, Katherine," Martha relented with a nod, smirking knowingly. "Having shared the loft with you two lovebirds, I'm well aware that you two can't keep your hands off each other for that long. I just wanted to make sure that this wasn't something you two would regret, especially since you've yet to get married. But, who am I to judge? Eh?"

Kate nodded in agreement, chuckling, though Castle did notice the rosy stain on her cheeks. "I am quite demanding, yes. Thankfully Rick's more than capable of satisfying all my needs."

"Seriously!?" Castle huffed in shock and dismay, in complete and utter awe that Detective Kate Beckett was actually calm and collected, and not at all freaked out about this conversation like he was. "Are you really talking about our sex life with my mother?"

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Richard," Martha asserted, giving him a placating expression and waving her hand dismissively. "I was just concerned, because the last time you got someone knocked up, even if the child turned out brilliantly, the relationship didn't."

"Kate's different, Mother," Castle insisted, not liking the suggestion that Beckett was like Meredith. There was no comparison. Meredith was a flickering candle to the dazzling star that was Kate Beckett. "And once more, you know that."

"I do, kiddo," Martha asserted, her eyes flicking over to Kate. "I knew from the moment you first told me that it wasn't about the books anymore." His mother smiled at him and winked mischievously. "And if anyone knows how hot you two are for one another, it's me. It's not like I haven't walked in on you two. Remember, that first morning?" She placed a finger on her nose. "A mother knows."

"Yeah, Castle," Kate asserted, jumping in with the teasing, a playful smirk forming across her lips. He flashed her a look that said _Et tu, Kate_? "At your age shouldn't you be proud that your swimmers are still potent?"

Castle slumped down in his chair, scrubbing a hand down his face and resolutely ignoring the rest of the conversation, grumbling to himself as Kate and Martha continued to chat away. "What I wouldn't give for a good scotch right now."


	3. Chapter 3

_*Friendly reminder that in this AU storyline Beckett declined the job offer._

* * *

**The Return – Chapter 3**

She wiggled her toes in the sand, the gesture comforting and familiar. It brought a smile to her face. The afternoon breeze was warm and gentle, and she closed her eyes, turning into it, enjoying the feeling of the wind blowing through her hair. Letting out a contented sigh, she opened her eyes and caught sight of her father looking at her with a curious expression. Turning her head, she raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Yes?"

"Just… you're smiling," he said, doing so himself. "You do that a lot now."

"And before… I didn't?" she asked, knitting her eyebrows together, unsure how to take her father's statement.

Jim Beckett sighed and raked his fingers through his gray hair, mussing up his perfectly combed strands. "No, you did," he assured her. "Just… not as much. And not as forced, like you were just putting on a show for the rest of the world, doing what you believe was expected of you. Now, they're more genuine, more real… as oppose to the smiles before him."

Oh. Kate pursed her lips and bobbed her head, understanding now what he'd meant. "Yes," she agreed. "He gives me a reason to smile." She let her hand slip down to rest over the small round swell of her belly, where a new life was brewing, thinking of all the many ways Castle made her smile, some of which weren't exactly appropriate to be thinking about in present company.

"Can I ask you a question, Katie?" Jim asked, his eyes flirting down for a second to her hand resting over her stomach.

"Of course, Dad."

"Are you happy with the decisions you've made?"

Kate furrowed her brow in thought as she looked at her father. She knew he was not just referring to getting pregnant, but about the job offer and accepting Castle's proposal. During that trying time, she'd sought him out for advice. He'd spoken of desires and regrets, and doing what she wanted. At the time, Kate had believed she wanted that job.

"_This job, Dad… it's what I want_," she'd so boldly asserted, yet to see all aspects of what such a job would encompass, so blinded by her own ambition, doubts, and insecurities.

Ultimately, after some pretty serious soul searching, Beckett had realized that the job just wasn't for her. Being a Federal Agent would have been amazing, and given her much broader reach than she'd ever have with the NYPD—not to mention all the shiny gadgets and toys, but there were other aspects of such a job that would've been difficult for her to accept.

The idea of working on the national stage was intriguing and very appealing, but it was hard not to notice how impersonal such work could get. Kate had become a cop to provide closure to the loved ones left behind, something she had never gotten. According to Castle, her dedication to the victims and their families was one of the many things that made her an exceedingly extraordinary detective. She thrived in that element, and was one of the very best. But she wouldn't really have that kind of hands on interaction when she was on the Attorney General's Special Task Force.

And she'd seen Stack, and how he operated, out of sight and in the shadows, always on the road. For Stack, the job was his life. Nothing else existed but the job. She had been left wondering if that was what she really wanted, to swoop in, hijack the local PD's case, and only stay long enough to wrap it up until moving on to the next one.

Kate had had a glimpse of that life through her interactions with Jordan Shaw on the Scott Dunn case. She had seen how the woman held some regrets over the time she missed out with her family, especially her daughter. Such a high demanding job would be hell on a relationship. And that was not even bringing up the high probability for messy morally gray scenarios.

Beckett liked things to be black and white, though she wasn't naïve enough to actually think that the world operated that way. She was jaded, in that regard, knowing just how morally gray the real world was. That's one of the reasons she loved Castle's books so much. Good always triumphed over evil in his books. There was always a sense of closure, something she'd been lacking when she'd first picked up one of his books.

It was because of that, in addition to numerous other reasons, that Beckett had declined the job offer when it had been made. The job would have been perfect for the old her, the version before she'd met Castle, back when she buried herself in her work, unwilling to truly live and love, dwelling on past losses. But once Castle had waltzed into her life, that Kate Beckett had become an endangered species, most likely to become extinct.

What she had gained from being with Castle far outweighed the things she could have gained with a new badge in DC. When she looked at everything, at how all the factors would line up, it just wasn't going to work. Kate had to admit, she would have struggled with the distance and physical separation the job would have enforced on their relationship. She was still a fiercely strong and independent woman, but she had also grown used to going to sleep and waking up with him. She was helplessly in love with Rick Castle. He brought out the best in her, made her strive to be a better person—just as she did for him.

And at the end of the day, it was simple.

They belonged together.

Having wasted so much time denying her feelings for Castle, that now that she had him, Kate wasn't willing to give up any of that time she now had, even for a job that seemed tailored made for her.

"Yes," she finally answered her father's question, looking him in the eye, not holding anything back. "I know what I said back in May, but I was wrong. So wrong, Dad. We weren't in love with the dance. We're in love with each other. And as for the job, it would never had suited who I am now."

"No regrets?" he asked, wanting to make sure his baby girl didn't have any lingering doubts.

"No regrets," she confirmed with a nod and a wide grin, smoothing her blouse down around her stomach. "I'm happy, Dad. Truly happy. I'm at a place now that I thought I'd never get to. And I owe so much of that to Castle. He loves me, Dad… so much more than I probably deserve. And I'm very grateful for that… for him. I'm not taking anything for granted anymore."

"That's good to hear."

"And believe it or not," she continued, smirking a bit as she gazed off in space, remembering happy moments with her favorite author, "but I think Castle and I are closer now than we were before. Being stranded on an island forced us to talk about some things that had needed talking about." She paused, and scrunched her nose up. "Do you remember that I said I was worried that the music would stop?"

"Yes." Jim inclined his head, knowing how song and dance seemed to be a metaphor for her in regards to her romance with Castle.

"Well, I don't think the music is ever going to stop," Kate declared with a beaming smile.

Jim smiled proudly. "I'm glad to hear that," he said, reaching for her to pull her into a brief hug. Kate closed her eyes and sighed, once again finding solace in her father's embrace. She buried her head in his shoulder, breathing him in, memorizing the scent of his aftershave and cologne. He still used the same brands he had when she was a child. It was comforting to know that some things stayed the same amongst so many things that changed.

She pulled back and gripped his hand, tilting her head towards the beach that stretched out before them. "We're falling behind," she observed.

"Then we better pick up the pace," her father grinned, his eyes twinkling with joy. Kate knew exactly how he felt. She was going to have a hard time letting go at the end of the day when they all headed back to their separate rooms to get some sleep in before the flight in the morning. Martha had already retired to her room for an afternoon nap, and Kate had been tempted to follow her, but when Alexis suggested a walk on the beach, she'd found the idea very appealing, as she wanted some alone time with her father to just catch up and simply… be with him.

Together they began moving again, walking along the white sandy beach, gazing out at the aqua blue ocean and dazzling azure sky. It was a beautiful sight, but one that had become familiar to Kate over the last four and a half months. She'd have thought that spending so long on a tropical island would have left her indifferent as to the natural beauty of Hawaii, but it hasn't. She took it as a good omen.

Looking up, Kate spied Castle walking ahead with Alexis. The young redhead's arm was looped around his as she leaned against him. The two had a lot of catching up to do, and she was glad they were taking that time to do so. Castle had been eager to reacquaint himself with his daughter's life. He'd been so worried that Alexis would lose focus with them gone.

"She's a remarkable young woman," Jim said, noticing her gaze.

"Yes, she is," Kate agreed.

"She never gave up looking for you two," he continued, pursing his lips together in a slightly amused grin. "It's odd, really. I never really imagined you'd fall in love and get married to a man with a nineteen year old daughter."

"Neither did I," Kate concurred. "But life's funny that way, I guess. Just think, she's going to be nearly two decades older than her little brother or sister."

Jim chuckled. "True," he said. "Speaking of, which do you prefer?"

Kate furrowed her brow in concentration. "To be honest, I really haven't given it too much thought," she asserted. "I'd just be happy to have the baby be healthy."

"Does Rick have a preference?"

"He says he doesn't care, but I think he wants a boy," Kate said, staring out across the sand at Castle and Alexis. "After all, he's already gone through the whole process with a girl. And I'm sure he wouldn't mind having another guy in the loft."

Jim laughed, nodding his head in agreement. "Then knowing his luck, you'll probably have a girl."

She pursed her lips and glanced up at her father, enjoying this side of him. It was odd, seeing him so happy and carefree, joking with her about his impending grandchild. It was a nice change. Bringing her lower lip under her teeth, she slipped closer to him and entwined her arm with his, mirroring the father and daughter walking ahead of them. "So, how have you been?"

"Pretty good," Jim answered quickly. "Been keeping busy."

Kate narrowed her eyes. If she didn't know any better she'd say that her father was trying to keep something from her. He was doing that thing now, the thing he did when he wanted to pretend that nothing was amiss. Her mom had called him on it more than once during her teen years, and now it was Kate's turn.

"Dad," she drawled out in warning, gracing him with the famous Beckett glare, which Kate had picked up as a young girl watching her mother stare out across the table at her father when he did something that she disapproved of. "Don't try and keep secrets from me. I'm a trained detective, remember?"

He let out a nervous laugh and bobbed his head, resolutely keeping his eyes averted. "Okay," he relented, taking in a deep breath. "So, I… um… I am… I'm sort of seeing someone," he fumbled out, wincing as he prepared for his daughter's judgmental onslaught.

Kate halted in her tracks and stared at him aghast. "_Seeing someone_?" she echoed, not believing her ears. "As in… _dating_?"

Jim inclined his head ever so slightly, confirming her question.

"Is… is it serious?" she asked, still shell-shocked by this personal bombshell from her father. She honestly didn't know what to think.

"It's still new, but I like her… a lot," Jim confessed, his anxiety over her reaction still evident on his face. When she remained silent, he gripped her hand tighter, becoming desperate. "I know what you're thinking, Katie. But you have to look at it from my point of view. She's been gone for almost fifteen years. It's just been you and me since then. And you're busy with your new life—not that I'm complaining, I'm thrilled you've finally found someone to spend your life with—but that means less time for us, and I get lonely. I just want you to understand that I'm not—"

"I know," Kate interrupted, finding her voice, flushing slightly in embarrassment at letting her shock overwhelm her, leaving him to think the worse. "I know, Dad," she repeated, reaching up to caress the side of his face.

"I will always love your Mother," Jim stated, his voice thick with emotion.

Belatedly, Kate realized that she had never once thought about her father's personal life outside of herself and his work. Blinking her eyes, she gazed up at him with compassion and understanding. "And Mom wouldn't have wanted you to spend the rest of your life alone," she said, knowing that that's exactly how her mother would have thought. She let her hands drop to his collar, which she straightened. "It'll just take some time to get used to."

Jim nodded.

Kate released a breath and straightened her back, forcing herself to look back up into her father's eyes. She was still unsure about this latest development, but it was something she was going to have to live with. After all, she couldn't really expect her father to live the life of a monk all because her mother had died. It wasn't fair of her to assume that when she herself had wrestled with breaking the chains of grief to find her own happiness.

"So, what's her name and how'd you two meet?" she asked, knowing that the teasing lilt to her voice wasn't completely convincing at masking her uncertainty. She made a mental note to discuss this with Castle. If anyone could help her understand her conflicting emotions, it would be him.

Thankfully, her father either didn't notice or chose to ignore her obvious unease at the topic of his girlfriend. Probably the latter. He cocked his head off to the side and smiled warmly, a dreamy expression washing over his features, which caused her stomach to churn with unpleasant feelings. Kate tried her best to stamp them down, wanting to be happy for her father, but she couldn't. Part of her, the child who'd lost her mother, felt like he was betraying her mother's memory, while the adult inside her chided herself for not letting her father have the same freedom of moving on as she'd bestowed upon herself when she'd stopped denying her feelings for Castle.

"It's kind of a funny story, really," Jim was saying, oblivious to his daughter's inner turmoil. "We literally bumped into one another at a coffee shop."

_Great… it just had to be coffee_, Kate groaned inwardly. Thanks to Castle, coffee now held a romantic quality to it. _Every morning, I bring you a cup of coffee just so I could see a smile on your face._ His words echoed through her head as she listened to her father recount his first meeting with his new girlfriend. _Yep_, Kate thought to herself, _things are definitely going to be different_.

* * *

_*And now you see one of the many changes Caskett will encounter upon their return home. Thoughts?_


	4. Chapter 4

**The Return – Chapter 4**

Out of all the places to have a brief respite in before heading back to New York City, and all that that would entail, he thought that Hawaii was the best. It was the perfect place to reacclimatize for one simple fact. The fiftieth state in the union provided them with both environments in one: Tropical island and civilization. Their half-week voyage on the _USS Hamilton_ hadn't adequately prepared them for the return to civilization. So Hawaii made for a nice layover, as it were.

And after the whole shock of lunch with their family—especially his mother—Castle had immediately known that Kate could really use the walk on the beach. Besides, he needed it just as much as she did. He was good at covering up his unease and discomfort, even around her. But it was… _weird_ staying in a hotel room after nearly five months sleeping under a palm bough roof. He missed the stars. Castle just couldn't sit in that hotel room while they waited for bed. He needed to be outside, with the sun above his head. And he knew in his gut that Kate felt the same way.

The morning had been rather strange. He'd woken for the first time in months under clean sheets, and it just felt off. It hadn't escaped his notice that Kate had kicked the covers off during the night. He had pulled them back over her before he slipped out of bed to make good on a promise he'd made to her.

It had been odd shaving. He had to force himself into the motions, because it just didn't feel normal anymore. Nothing did. The bathroom was too clean and bright, and everything just seemed wrong. Castle was surprised at how affected he was by the whole experience. In the past, his morning rituals had always been something to ground him in the present. Now they only served to remind him of how different things were. He could only hope that the mundane chores of normal life would help him readjust to being off the island.

He needed to adjust quickly, because life was going to be substantially different off the island. Kate would probably have difficulty adjusting as well, and Castle wanted to be there to help and support her through the transition. But she had it worse. Not only was she going to be struggling with the same differences that he was, but she was also pregnant, and that… that just opened up a whole other can of worms when it came to readjusting to life back home. Unlike him, she'd be forced into adapting quickly due to the changes within her body. So Castle was determined to be there, step by step.

Celebrating her birthday by getting her a present had been a step towards that attempt to bring back some form of normalcy into their lives. Castle had basked in the utter look of love and gratitude in Kate's eyes when she'd opened her present. She had truly been touched by his gift, and insisted on wearing the charm bracelet immediately.

Castle glanced over his shoulder, watching as Kate dropped a hand to her wrist, her fingers playing with the charms as she spoke in hushed voices with her father. Whatever they were talking about, it looked like Kate was unsettled or upset, but trying her best to cover it up. He recognized the expression on her face, and knew that she'd probably need to talk to him later.

"What is it, Dad?" Alexis asked, having noticed his troubled expression.

"Something I'll probably deal with later," he answered on a sigh, turning his attention back to his daughter. He pursed his lips as he smiled at her. "So, how has life been treating you? Are there any boys I'm going to have to scare away with that cutlass I keep in a box under my bed?"

Alexis snorted out a laugh and shook her head, though her eyes narrowed, knowing he was only partially joking. "No, Dad. You have nothing to worry about. I've been too preoccupied with finding you and Kate to deal with dating."

Castle felt a knot of worry in the pit of his stomach lessen, but he also felt sadden by the fact that his disappearance had forced Alexis to put her young life on hold, even if it was only for five months.

He gave her a guilty expression. "I am sorry, Pumpkin. I never meant to disrupt your life."

"You didn't," Alexis asserted, placing a hand on his arm to soothe away his unwarranted self-reproach. "I had Grams and Mr. Beckett. And Lanie checked up on me once a week. She made sure that I didn't neglect my studies."

"That's good to hear," he interjected under his breath. "Columbia ain't exactly cheap, you know."

Alexis chuckled. "Anyways, Dad… don't worry about it. I have no regrets about the last five months. You didn't ask for any of this to happen. And I don't blame you. Either of you."

"Well, just the same, I am sorry," Castle said, pulling her into a tight hug, dropping his head to rest his nose against her beautiful red tresses, breathing her in. It still felt so surreal that he was finally hugging his daughter. "I love you, Alexis."

"I love you, too, Dad," she reciprocated. "I'm so happy you're back." She paused and lowered her arms around his waist, burrowing into his chest. "Both of you."

He smiled softly, and then frowned anxiously. "About Kate…?"

"I'm happy about the baby, Dad," Alexis interrupted him, not letting him finish his question. She pulled back and looked at him with genuine joy in her eyes. "Really, Dad, I am."  
"You're not being replaced," he assured her.

"I know," Alexis shook her head at him and gave him an amused look. "Seriously, you don't think I haven't known this was going to happen, especially when you and Detective Beckett finally got together."

"You weren't too happy about that," he pointed out, raising his eyebrow in challenge.

Alexis inclined her head in agreement. "It wasn't that I was opposed to you dating her, it's just that I'd seen how much you'd struggled with your feelings that I didn't want to see you get hurt again, like you were by my mom and Gina. I know Kate's different, that she's the one. And I'm cool with that." She smiled softly and caressed his arm, giving it a supportive squeeze. "I guess I just needed some time to acknowledge that all because you were opening up your heart to Kate didn't mean that you were then kicking me out."

"Never," he asserted, pulling her back to him for quick embrace and brushing a kiss to her forehead. "You'll always be by little girl, Pumpkin. No one, not even Kate, could change how much I love you."

"I know that now," she attested, giving him a small self- deprecating smile. "I just needed to grow up a little to realize that."

"So, you're really okay with the baby?" Castle needed some clarification, just in case her reaction at lunch had been an act for everyone else.

Alexis pursed her lips and nodded. "Yes, I am. More than okay, Dad. I'm thrilled. I might have been a little surprised, but I'm genuinely happy to finally be getting a sibling. And you couldn't have picked a better partner to add to our family than with Kate."

"Oh, Alexis…," Castle sighed, relieved, clutching onto his daughter. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that."

His daughter flashed him a brilliant smile and they shared a moment that was simply them. Castle basked in it. It was the kind of moment that he thought he'd never get to have again with his little girl once she started to become a young woman. He was beyond pleased to be proven wrong.

"However, one question remains," Alexis broke in, furrowing her brow in thought, as she glanced back in the direction of Kate and Jim. "Are you going to get married before or after the baby is born?"

XXX

He found Kate sitting at a table with a glass of ice tea, a little pink umbrella sticking out from the rim. She smiled at him as he approached, and Castle grinned back, waggling his eyebrows, which earned him one of her infamous eye rolls. It pleased him that she was still her, despite everything they'd gone through on the island. He leaned down and pressed a quick peck to her lips before sliding down in the seat next to her.

"Alexis went to check on Mother," he informed her, arching his neck to look around for the waitress. Catching her eye, he raised his hand and signaled for another ice tea. "Your Dad go back to the hotel too?"

Kate nodded and took a sip of her ice tea, before gazing at him with a wary expression. "How was your talk with Alexis?"

"Good," he said with a fond smile, watching her with curious eyes. "And you and your dad?"

"Good," she echoed his answer, much too fast for his liking.

He narrowed his eyes, but held back his response when the waitress appeared with his ice tea. Castle thanked her and took a sip of it, before turning his attention back to Kate. She studiously avoided his stare, purposely looking everywhere but him. He shook his head, and put his glass down, and reached out across the tabletop to grab Kate's hand, intertwining their fingers.

"Kate," he sighed.

She bit her lower lip and averted her eyes, a crease forming between her eyebrows. "Okay… I was a little startled by some… _news_ he had to share."

"What short of news?" he hedged cautiously, uncertain if now was the right time to push on this subject. From the glimpse he had of their conversation, it had looked pretty serious. He watched as Kate inhaled a quick breath before meeting his eyes.

"He's been dating," she blurted out, her expression a strange combination of joy and grief.

Castle raised his eyebrows, remaining silent for perhaps a little too long as he absorbed this new information. Kate began to panic, no doubt thinking he was judging her for not being happy for her father. He quickly allayed her concerns, squeezing her hand tighter and leaning over to palm the side of her face in his free hand.

"It's the first time since my mother died," Kate elaborated, her voice shaky. She took in halting breaths, closing her eyes and easing into his touch, seeking comfort.

"You weren't prepared for it," he supplied, wanting her to know he understood. "I was still young when Mother started dating, not to mention getting married and divorced like it was going out of fashion… but I digress," he chuckled softly to himself, remembering those times. He shook his head and turned his full attention back to his distraught fiancée. "Talk to me, Kate. Tell me how you are feeling."

"Confused," she answered immediately. "I want to be happy for him. But there's this small part of me that feels like he's betraying the memory of my mother."

Castle narrowed his eyes as a thought occurred to him. "It's making you question the depth of his love for her. Right?"

Kate's eyes shot up and she looked at him with relief at being understood, nodding her head. "Yes, exactly… that's it." She shook her head, and let out a light self-deprecating laugh. "It's silly, I know. But the 19 year old teenager in me, who lost her mom, can't help but feel that way… like moving on is forgetting her."

"And what does the grown woman in you say?" he asked, encouraging her gently.

"That that's stupid," she answered, bluntly, running her fingers through her hair in exasperation. "I mean, look at me. I spent the better part of a decade refusing to move on, and what did that do for me? Nothing. I was miserable for almost all that time." She paused and flickered her eyes up to his. "But then you came into my life, and changed that. It took me a while to realize it, but I can't live in the past. I lost too much of myself in dwelling on her death. I had to move on, and live my own life."

"And you did," he said, squeezing her hand in confirmation of her words, running his thumb along the ring adorning her finger.

Kate's eyes dropped down to watch for a moment, a small happy smile forming on her lips. "I realized that letting you in, loving you, didn't mean that I loved my mom any less by moving on," she knitted her eyebrows together as she looked up from their joined hands. "The same should be true for my Dad. All because he's found someone else… doesn't mean that he's replacing my mom."

Castle nodded in agreement, caressing the back of her hand with his thumb. "I just had a similar conversation with Alexis… about you and me."

"What?" Kate's eyes jerked up and she looked startled and alarmed. "Oh god… she hates me, doesn't she?"

Castle laughed, loudly. He couldn't help it. It was so unlike her to jump to conclusions. _Must be the pregnancy hormones_, he thought. Kate glowered, displeased with his reaction. She gave his shin a hard kick under the table. "It's not funny, Castle!" she grumbled, glaring at him. "Stop laughing." When he didn't, she gave his leg another solid kick. Castle hissed in pain, but covered it up with a feigned cough. He glanced up at her and stuck out his bottom lip on a pout, knowing that she would be unable to resist, as she secretly found his boyish charm utterly irresistible.

"_Castle_," she warned.

"I'm sorry," he panted, trying to regain his breath. "It's just so far out of left field, I couldn't help it."

"Whoa! Look at you, using a baseball metaphor," she smirked, amused, her eyes sparkling with delight.

"Practice for getting on your father's good side," he winked. Castle brushed back his hair and graced her with one of his signature grins, before turning serious and recapturing her hand with his. "We talked about how when we first started dating, she felt like I was replacing her with you in my heart. Alexis says that she now understands how foolish that was, and that she's truly happy for us, and excited to have a sibling. Kate, she told me that I couldn't have picked a better partner to add to our family than you."

Kate blinked back the moisture in her eyes. "She really said that?"

"Yes, she did," he confirmed with a soft smile, reaching up to tenderly wipe away a single tear. "Alexis was never against us being together. She was just concerned about how we would all fit together."

"But now she isn't… concerned, that is."

Castle nodded. "We're a family. Me, you, Alexis, Mother, and your Dad." He leaned closer, nudging a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Not exactly normal, but hey… who wants normal anyways? Normal is overrated."

Kate smiled, bobbing her head. He smiled back, gazing at her with all the love he had. Things weren't exactly the same, but Castle felt like they were getting there. It was going to be a long road to recovery, finding their way back into a 'normal' life, but at least they had each other to walk that path. _It'll be different once we get back to New York_, he told himself. Though, there was still a little part of him that was worried about returning to such a high-populated city, but he stood by his belief that they could do this as long as they had each other. He leaned in closer, palming the side of her face, caressing her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

"We're in this together, Kate," he said, and then added the one word he knew would cheer her up. "Always."

He was rewarded with a beaming smile from his gorgeous Kate.

"Together," she agreed, and slanted into him as he kissed her.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Return – Chapter 5**

It had all started with a flash. And then another. Soon the world was shaking around her, like an earthquake up in the stratosphere. The loud groan of metal being torn apart assaulted her ears. The roar of rushing wind was deafening, whipping her hair wildly about her head. It was only moments later that the yellow breathing mask unceremoniously dropped down in front of her face as the cabin pressure alarms blared all around. Screams and shouts could be heard from every direction.

Her hands trembled, and she barely had time to reach for the mask and pull it over her head before the cabin wall beside their seats began to crack. There was a low rumbling groan, and then the wall was falling away. She wanted to scream, but her voice was clogged in her throat. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she watched in horror, powerless to stop the man she loved with all her soul from being ripped away from her and sucked out of the gaping maw in the side of the fuselage.

Everything was suddenly spinning. She wanted to scream and cry, but her entire body was just seized in the moment, unable to respond or move. The world flashed around her in a blur as the wind ripped through the cabin, causing loose debris to fall around her. She felt dizzy and numb all at once. She could do nothing but let it happen.

And then there was a strong impact, and everything went black.

XXX

She woke with a start, chest heaving, body drenched in sweat.

It was a dream. It had all just been a terrible dream. No. It was more than a dream. It had been a memory.

Kate closed her eyes and breathed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to reconcile the differences between the waking world and the dream world. The dream had felt so real. All the emotions had been there, which she still felt. She could feel the wet trail of a few stray tears that had leaked out of her eyes easing down her cheeks. Working to stifle the emotions welling up inside her, Kate wiped the tears away with her hands, silently praying that there would be no evidence left behind.

She sighed in resignation, and pushed her head back into the pillow, biting her lower lip, unable to suppress the sensation of wrongness that washed over her at the feel of the soft mattress beneath her. Oddly enough, the only thing that felt right was the fact that she wasn't covered by any blankets. She remembered pulling them off and folding them at the foot of the mattress with Castle before they climbed in to go to bed.

Readjusting to civilization was going to be much more difficult than she had originally thought. It wasn't just the fact that they had a soft mattress to lie down on, a roof over their hands, and solid walls surrounding them, but almost everything about the hotel suite was so different from the life she'd been living for almost five months.

Yesterday, Kate had found herself going through the motions to just take a shower. Stepping into the large upscale shower stall and turning the knobs was something that should have been natural. But instead, she had to remind herself of the steps required to start the shower. Feeling the pressurized hot water hitting her skin had almost felt foreign to her. Kate thought she was being silly, that it wasn't something to get worked up about. _It's not like you have never taken a shower before_, she'd told herself. The closest she'd gotten to a shower on the island had been when she'd step under the cool cascading water of the waterfall.

And then there was Castle. She hated to admit it, but she missed the beard. It wasn't that she'd liked it… she didn't. She preferred him as he was now, shaved… or semi-shaved—he was always sexy with a little stubble—but, despite her best efforts, she had grown accustomed to seeing him with a beard, had gotten used to the feel of it scratching and tickling her skin when they kissed or made love.

Still reeling from her dream—more like a nightmare—Kate rolled onto her side to face her companion in all things. Unlike her, it appeared he had no trouble sleeping. He was resting on his side, his face smashed into the pillow. After finally succumbing to her intense physical and emotional attraction to Castle, Kate had found she enjoyed watching him while he was asleep. He almost had this child-like innocence to him when he was unconscious, his face relaxed and undisturbed by the harshness of reality. And she loathed waking him from the blissful slumber he was having, but at this moment, she desperately needed him.

He was the only one who could reassure and sooth away her worries, and fully understand what she was going through.

Kate reached across the small gap between them and placed her hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. He mumbled incoherently, still stuck in whatever pleasant scenario his subconscious had concocted, something about whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and a certain part of her anatomy he wished to lather with those toppings. Raising an eyebrow, she suppressed a grin, and shook him again, this time with more vigor, as well as adding some auditory stimulation.

"Castle," she called. "Castle… wake up."

"So good," he rumbled out, his voice muffled slightly by the pillow as he turned his face into the cushion, his mouth moving like he was sucking on something. "You taste so good."

Kate's cheeks burned hot with vivid images pulled from her memories of exactly what he could be dreaming about. She had to remind herself to breathe. Licking her lips, she raised her voice, and shook his shoulder with much more force than before.

"CASTLE!"

His eyes blinked open and flirted up to hers. "Kate?" he mumbled out, still groggy and half-asleep. An adorable crease formed between his eyebrows as he looked up at her. "Is it morning already?"

"No… it's still night," she answered, tenderly brushing back the flop of hair covering his forehead. He closed his eyes sleepily, and eased into her touch as her fingers danced down the side of his face.

Opening his eyes again, he looked up at her with some concern. "What is it? Talk to me, Kate," he encouraged softly, turning himself to more fully face her. His hand found its way to her shoulder, where his fingers ran soothing patterns along her bare skin.

She fumbled for a moment, feeling like she had been overreacting to something that was nothing more than a bad dream. "It… it was nothing, Castle," Kate lied. "I'm sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep, babe."

"No," he shook his head, scooting closer and wrapping his arms around her. "You don't get to do that. Something happened. Just tell me, Kate. I don't care about being woke up, especially by you." He punctuated his declaration by playfully kissing the tip of her nose, which earned him a tentative smile. "You had a reason, otherwise you wouldn't have bothered waking me. So tell me. I'm here to help."

His encouraging smile was too much for her to fight. Kate sniffled and gave him a weak smile of gratitude for putting up with her. She ducked her head down and clutched his white t-shirt in her fist as she forced the words out. "I had a nightmare."

"What about?"

"The plane crash," she said in a rushed breath, blinking her eyes rapidly before glancing back up at him. "I don't understand, Castle. It's been close to five months. I shouldn't still be having nightmares about it. But… I guess… with our flight tomorrow, I… I'm a little worried." She paused, heaving in a deep breath, feeling her cheeks heat on a blush. She felt silly for being afraid, let alone saying it out loud.

"Shh," Castle soothed, caressing the side of her face and palming her cheek. She was worried he'd find the dried trails of her tears, revealing how emotionally upset she'd been, but if he had, he didn't mention it. He looked her in the eye, and all she could see reflecting back was unconditional love and understanding. "You're not alone, Kate. I'm just as anxious as you are. Last time I was on a plane I got sucked out of a hole in the fuselage."

"No need to remind me," she nearly sobbed, clutching at him tighter. "God, Castle… I just don't know what I'd do if I lost you. You… you're everything to me."

"Look, I can't promise that everything is going to be alright, because I don't have that power… no one does," he said with a sigh of regret, like he believed he should have such power to protect them—protect _her_. Kate knew with out a doubt that if he could have, he'd even taken that damn bullet for her. Her throat constricted at the memory. Castle tightened his hold around her, pulling her focus back out of that dark day. His face scrunched up with an expression she knew all to well. "But I can promise you this, Kate… whatever comes, we'll face it together."

Kate curled her fingers around his neck, and bobbed her head. "I know," she breathed out, easing into him and nestling her head against his chest as he hugged her. "Just promise one thing."

"And what's that?"

"Don't sit by the window."

"I think I can do that," he chuckled softly, no reluctance in acquiescing to her request. She closed her eyes and smiled softly when she felt him drop a kiss on the top of her head. "Feeling better?"

"A little," she snuggled closer to him, unashamedly needing more of him.

"Glad I could help," he replied with his trademark smirk.

Kate eased back and tilted her head up to look at him, returning his grin with one of her own. He licked his lips as he inhaled a quick breath, preparing to say something more. But before he could get a single word out, Kate was pushing up and pressing her mouth to his in a lingering kiss. She'd caught him off guard, which pleased her greatly, but it didn't take long for him to reciprocate, tightening his hold around her and kissing her back.

Her tongue darted out and flicked along his top lip until he opened for her, letting her dive into the familiar wet warmth of his mouth. Her fingers sprawled out over his shoulders, keeping him in place, as she pressed further into him, melding their bodies together. He moaned in rich approval, his hands dropping to her hips, squeezing the soft flesh of her backside as she ground into him.

She stayed like that for several minutes, just sucking face with Castle, until her lungs began to ache with the need for precious oxygen. Reluctantly pulling back, Kate gasped in a lungful of air and smiled deliciously at his dumbstruck expression, her lips still tingling from the amazing kiss.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again," Castle crooned, tenderly rubbing his hands up and down her back. "That was amazing."

Kate bit her lower lip and ducked her head down shyly, agreeing. "Always is with you," she confessed, smiling softly. She licked her lips and fiddled with the fabric of his shirt, before diving in for another kiss.

This time Castle was prepared. Their mouths clashed together in a heated embrace, tongues dueling for dominance. His hands gripped her hips and he canted into her, rolling her onto her back. She went willingly, smiling into his mouth as she opened her legs for him. He brought a knee down between her parted thighs, pinning her down against the mattress. She hummed approvingly into his mouth as his hands began to wander down her body, tracing every curve and contour.

"Castle, what are you doing?" she panted when he broke away, not even sure why she was even questioning his actions, as he planted a series of kisses down the column of her neck. While, at the same, his hand nudged the hem of her tank top up to caress the small round swell around her belly. "It's the middle of the night. Shouldn't we go back to sleep?"

"No." He flicked his tongue out across the spot behind her ear that drove her wild and nuzzled his nose into the tumble of her brunette strands that spread out across the pillows. "The woman I love had a bad dream and needs some comforting," came his breathy reply as he danced a hand down her undulating body, leaving goosebumps in his wake. "Sleep can wait." He kissed her again, slow and deep, while his hand wiggled underneath the waistband of her sleeping shorts and found her more than ready.

She shuddered and gasped in exquisite pleasure from his knowing touch, feeling the tension, fear, and worry leave her body. Castle slowly pulled his hand back out, and tugged on the fabric of her sleepwear, easing them down her long legs until she was bare before him. She let out a hiss when the cool air of the hotel suite's air-conditioner touched her warmed flesh, but her displeasure was thankfully short-lived. Castle returned between her legs, his boxers discarded. There was nothing separating them now, saved for a tank top and a t-shirt, but she could live with that.

"I love you," she whispered, running her fingertips along his jawline as she beckoned him in for a sweet kiss, groaning in ecstatic delight when he completed their connection.

He nudged her nose with his and kissed her in return, tenderly brushing her hair away from her face. "God, I love you, you extraordinary woman," he murmured, gazing at her with the adoration and love she'd come to rely on. She smiled into his mouth and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer.

And then they made love. Slowly.

XXX

There was a ding, and the seatbelt sign lit up. Castle grabbed the belt and tightened it around his waist, almost to a painful degree, but it was worth it, if just for his peace of mind. His heartbeat was a little bit stronger than normal, and his palms were all sweaty. Last night, Kate had had a nightmare centering around the plane crash on the island. He'd had the same concerns, but had been able to suppress them while the woman he loved was in distress. Plus, he had known of an easy and highly enjoyable way of distracting them, which wouldn't work here. And now that he was seated and buckled in, the worry was beginning to seep in with a vengeance.

"Dad, are you okay?" Alexis asked as she finished strapping herself in. She'd taken the window seat beside him in First Class. Kate was seated right across the aisle from him, with Jim Beckett taking the window seat next to his daughter. Martha was sitting a couple of rows ahead of them, already chatting up the silver-haired gentleman who'd been unfortunate enough to get seated next to her.

"Yeah, Pumpkin, I'm fine," Castle wheezed out, trying to reassure his daughter and not doing a very good job at it.

She placed her hand over his, where it rested on the armrest, and gave him a comforting squeeze of support. "I'm here, Dad."

He pursed his lips and gave her a weak smile, appreciative of her efforts to reassure him. She held his gaze, no judgment or reproach in her eyes, only the sympathetic support of a loving daughter. She didn't offer him any platitudes or meaningless reassurances. She just held his hand. And that was exactly what he needed.

Castle focused on his bond with Alexis, clutching her hand tighter as he tried to purge all the worry and panic that was swelling up inside him. It was going to be a five-hour flight, and he was already growing somewhat claustrophobic. Fortunately they had a brief layover in San Francisco, which would provide him with the opportunity to walk about in more open spaces. Afterwards it would be another six hours until they landed back in New York. These two flights were definitely going to be the last he'd go on for quite some time. It unnerved him a bit that his experiences surviving a plane crash had had such an affect on him. Though in retrospect it shouldn't have surprised him.

When he started to feel calmer, Castle noticed that the stewardess was halfway through making her standard safety announcements as the plane taxied out to the runway. He flicked his gaze across the aisle to Kate, whose apprehensive expression matched his own. Castle had no doubts that she was going through the same misgivings about flying again. Her nightmare last night could attest to that. He wished he could ease her worries, if only for a little bit.

There had been several occasions when he could have made some joke about them sneaking off and having a quickie in the lavatory, but he hadn't, not even in the mood to make such jokes. He had no interest in going into such a confined place while the plane was in flight. Besides, joining the mile high club was a moot point, since they already had. Kate had surprised him during the summer by joining him on a book tour in Miami. Black Pawn had flown them down in a private jet, and… well, they had taken advantage of the free time.

But, at present, sex was the last thing on Castle's mind. He was more concerned with his partner's anxiety than anything else. After the stewardess had finished with her announcements and checked the luggage bins, Castle twisted his torso so that he was facing his favorite detective.

"Kate," he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.

She blinked and turned her head, appearing to have been startled out of her thoughts. "Castle?" she frowned in confusion.

He held out his hand, wordless, speaking with his eyes. Her beautiful hazels opened wide and a small smile tugged on her lips as she reached out across the aisle to accept his proffered hand. Their fingers slowly interlaced as they gazed lovingly at one another.

"Together," he murmured, squeezing slightly as the plane's engines began to roar, readying for takeoff.

"Together," she agreed with a warm smile, eyes locked on his.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Return – Chapter 6**

Home. They were finally home. Well, not exactly home _per se_, but close enough.

Walking up the exit ramp and entering the terminal was like climbing up the rabbit hole and emerging from Wonderland back into the real world. As they trudged up the ramp, Castle slipped his hand down Kate's arm until their fingers were intertwined. She blinked twice, dipping her head down to stare at their joined hands, before casting a sidelong glance towards him, her brow creased in anxiety and strained nerves.

The plane flight from Hawaii to SFO had been difficult, for both of them, but somehow they had managed. The second leg of the journey, from SFO to LaGuardia, had been a little easier to bear. Whether it was through sheer force of will, facing the challenge together, or a combination of the two, was up for debate. What mattered was that they were finally returning home. But Castle was not expecting things to revert back to normal—if there really was ever such a thing as normal. No. They still had issues to work out. Things weren't going to be easy readjusting back into their lives before the island.

Noticing Kate's anxiety rise, Castle tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it fell flat. It was difficult to muster up such pleasantries when he too was feeling a little nervous. Kate dipped her head down again, shielding her face with her long sun-kissed brunette curls. Castle sucked in quick breath, and squeezed her hand in common support. He watched as she pulled her head back up, gracing him with a tentative, yet grateful smile. She squeezed his hand back, and he exhaled softly, surprised that he'd been holding his breath.

They shared a common ground here. They were both apprehensive and anxious about their return. It had been almost half a year since they'd been in the Big Apple, and despite their brief layover in San Francisco during their journey home, Castle wasn't sure they were both fully prepared for the oncoming storm that was New York City.

Clutching each other's hands tightly, they exited the ramp and entered the busy terminal. The buzz of activity, arrivals and departures, families, business travelers, and tourist all moving about, was all a little overwhelming at first. It hadn't been like that in Hawaii. They'd disembarked from the _USS Hamilton_ at the navy base. Needless to say, it hadn't been as crowded as LaGuardia.

Kate's grip on his hand tightened and he turned to look at her, concern etched on his features.

"I'm here for you," he murmured softly in support, so only she could hear.

Kate pursed her lips and flicked her eyes over to him with a tiny nod, squeezing his hand in return. "And I'm here for you, Castle," she asserted, her eyes so wide and full of love and gratitude, it almost made him want to weep with how beautiful she looked at that moment. She held his gaze for several long seconds, before blinking her eyes and looking away, leading them out of the disembarkation area.

"We'll go see to the luggage," Jim announced, turning to his daughter and wrapping an arm around her in a half hug as he kissed her forehead.

Alexis squeezed her arms around Castle's torso, burying her head in his chest, before pushing up on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I'll go with him. Welcome home, Daddy," she beamed up at him, and he couldn't help but return the smile. He loved his daughter so much. His emotions threatened to swell over as he watch her join Jim, and the two walked at a quick pace down the terminal towards baggage claim, chatting animatedly, looking to all the world like a grandfather and granddaughter returning home from a family vacation.

"We've missed so much," Kate whispered beside him, noticing it as well.

Martha turned to them with a small smile. "Oh, not too much, darlings," his mother declared in her usual theatrical fashion. "Just some minor family growth and bonding."

Castle gave a slight nod, and shifted his arm around Kate's shoulders. She eased into him and they walked slowly alongside Martha as they made their way towards the terminal exit. His mother kept chatting about this and that, mainly informing him how she'd been good and hadn't thrown any parties at the loft. Frankly, Castle couldn't care less if she had. He was just glad to be home, though it was also accompanied by a somewhat melancholy that seemed misplaced.

"You feel it, too," Kate whispered, flashing him a knowing look. "Don't you?"

He bobbed his head and licked his lips. "It's almost like I miss the island."

She shrugged, and he slipped his arm down her back, trying to help soothe away her feelings of pensiveness. "It was our home for nearly five months, Castle. We just got back. I'm sure we'll feel better once we finally get back home… to the loft."

"Yeah, sure," Castle agreed, narrowing his eyes as he watched a play of emotions across her face. "Kate?"

"Nothing… just," she sighed, bringing a hand up to tuck some loose strands behind her right ear. "Alexis let me borrow her phone when we were in San Francisco."

When she didn't continue, Castle nudged her gently with his shoulder. "And?"

"I called Lanie, you know, to let her know when we'd get back," Kate said, pausing to nibble on her bottom lip. "I've been replaced."

"At the precinct?" Castle raised his eyebrows, seeking verification of what he suspected she was saying. Kate bobbed her head. He sighed and wrapped his arm around her waist. "That was to be expected, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was. But it… I… it's just different actually hearing it," Kate admitted. "Getting confirmation."

"I'm sure Captain Gates would be more than understanding and willing to give you back your job," Castle asserted, trying to reassure his fiancée. He didn't like the worried crease forming between her eyebrows. She didn't respond. He frowned. "Do you want your job back?"

"I don't know, maybe," she sighed, shrugging her shoulders, trying to pass it off as indifference, as if she really didn't care. But she did. He knew it. And once more, she knew he knew it.

Castle sighed, and glanced around at all the people moving about, oblivious to anything but their own little worlds. He rubbed her arm, and leaned in close to press a kiss against her temple, lingering to breathe in her familiar scent. "Look, you don't have to decide right now. As you said, we just got back. Let's just allow things to settle before we make any decisions."

Kate's brow slowly smoothed as she relaxed. "You're right, of course," she said, tilting her head up to look into his eyes. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Plus, there are other _things_ to consider before we even start thinking about that." Her hand momentarily swept a stomach, where a small curved protrusion was at the very beginnings of forming.

"There's that too," he agreed, watching as a variety of emotions flashed across Kate's face. They came and went so quickly he wasn't able to get a read on any of them before that stoic mask of hers reasserted itself.

He sighed and tightened his hold around her waist as they trudged on, following his mother as she ushered them through the busy terminal. Castle was surprised at how everyone else seemed oblivious to their arrival. He had expected some attention from the press, having received none in Hawaii. _Perhaps I'm not as famous as I like to think_, he thought. But the lack of press wasn't all too distressing. He wasn't that man anymore. He didn't care as much about his public persona or how people thought of him. The only opinions that mattered to him were those of his family and friends, especially Kate's opinion. Hers mattered most of all.

"Good Lord, there's that man again," grumbled Martha, dramatically rolling her eyes.

Castle jerked his head up and followed his mother's gaze. A man in an obscenely expensive suit was approaching them at a brisk pace. He wore an inauthentic smile on his face, failing in any attempt to appear genuine and sincere. Martha moved to intercept him, but he maneuvered around her, situating himself in Castle and Beckett's path, bringing them to a halting stop.

"Hal Jensen, Trop-Air," he announced, extending a hand.

Castle merely stared ahead, leaving the man hanging. "Yes?"

"Mr. Castle, what a pleasure to finally meet you in person," Jensen said, his fake sincerity almost nauseating to witness. "I almost feel like we've already met."

"Really?" Castle raised an eyebrow in disbelief, unwilling to let this one pass. "Because I've been under the impression that Trop-Air has been highly uncooperative this entire time, only interested in one thing… covering your own ass."

"Now about that—?"

"Look, Mr. Jensen," Kate interrupted, doing far better than Castle at remaining polite to a man who didn't deserve it. His platitudes were worthless, and neither one of them really wanted to hear them. She gently ran a hand down Castle's arm to soothe away his irritation. "We're not looking to play the blame game. We just got back. And right now, we simply just want to go home and… and be left in peace."

"Right, right," he bobbed his head, glancing back and forth between Castle and Beckett. "You have a lot of readjusting to do, I would think." He reached inside his jacket and produced a card. "Look, Trop-Air would really like to extend our most sincere apologies for everything. We're not above admitting that our plane might have experienced some mechanical issues."

"That's an understatement," Castle grumbled under his breath. Only Kate could hear him, and her responding smirk seemed to unnerve and confused Trop-Air's PR suit.

"I'll take that, Mr. Jensen, thank you very much," Martha snatched the card out of his hand, startling the man. He flinched and stared fearfully at Martha. Castle got the sense that the two had had many confrontations prior to this encounter. "As Katherine just said, we just got home. Give us a moment's rest, you vulture. Be gone with you. Shoo. Scram!"

Jensen jumped back as Martha gestured wildly with her hands. His eyes were wide with shock, and no small amount of fear, as he backed a way, inclining his head in farewell.

"Martha!" Kate said, smiling. "That was brilliant."

"Mother, I could kiss you," Castle said, doing just that, giving his mother a big smack on the cheek.

Martha pursed her lips and grinned, reaching up to pat his cheek lovingly, the bangles around her wrists clinking noisily. "I must admit, I do get a thrill from telling that man off. Him, and others like him, have been quite irritating during the past five months."

"So I take it Trop-Air was of little help?" Kate asked as they watched Jensen make his retreat.

"Worse than a bad review, darling!" Martha hooted, making Castle and Kate grin. "Now come on, you two, let's get out of here before any other annoying airline representatives slithers up."

XXX

Their delay in meeting up with Jim and Alexis at the baggage claim had only been minor, but long enough that they didn't have to stand around to wait for the carousel to issue out the luggage. Having had nothing really but the shirts on their backs and a few small items, all they had was a duffel bag awaiting them. Martha smiled at her granddaughter and grabbed the handle of her roller, already leading the way. Jim's eyes found Kate's and he gave a wink before following behind the diva, carrying her and Castle's duffel bag and his suitcase. Alexis hung back to walk with her father and future stepmother. Kate couldn't help but notice that the young woman's features were flooding with apprehension.

"Alexis, what's the matter?" Kate asked, reaching out to lightly touch her arm.

The redhead sighed, and glanced up at them with an apologetic face. "I don't know how they found out, but they did," she declared, and them uttered under her breath, "The stupid car service must have blabbed… last time we use them, that's for sure."

"Alexis?" Castle asked, halting his steps as he looked at her with confusion. "What's going on? Who found out?"

His daughter glanced between him and Kate, clearly distressed. "The press… or more precisely the paparazzi," she said. "While Jim and I were collecting the luggage, I spotted several lingering outside the exit, right where the town car we ordered is waiting for us."

Kate heaved in a sharp breath, feeling her heart rate pick up with a sense of mild panic. She'd always known that this day would come. She just never expected it to happen right after what they'd been through. It was bad enough that readjusting to life back in civilization was difficult without having to also deal with doing so in the public arena. Castle let out a quiet curse and turned towards her, his hand sweeping up and down her back in a reassuring manner, also a form of apology. He understood that she was uncomfortable with this side of his life.

"We can leave the airport through another exit," he suggested.

Knitting her eyebrows together, Kate considered his offer. She bit her lower lip and thought it through, mulling the idea around in her head. "No, we don't have to do that, Castle," she said on a sigh of resignation. She arched her neck to look up at him. "We knew we'd have to face them sooner or later. Might as well do it now."  
"If you're sure," he said, his hand continuing to caress soothingly up and down her back.

Kate nodded. "Yes. I am. Let's… let's just do it and have it done."

"Okay," he reluctantly agreed, a small smile touching his lips as he slipped his hand down to hers. She immediately interlaced their fingers and squeezed his hand for support. "If it'll help, I'll do all the talking.

"Yes. Thanks, Rick, that'd help. Yes," she let out a shaky breath, already feeling the nervous energy bouncing through her limbs. She'd faced harden criminals, the worst of humanity, yet it was a pack of rabid paparazzi that actually scared her out of her wits. Kate tried to rationalize it as she wasn't used to such blatant and brazen intrusion into her personal life, but then again, she did have to deal with Castle doing much that same for the last five years. She felt ridiculously, but the way Castle was looking at her, she knew she wasn't alone in her opinion of the scavengers.

Kate heaved in a deep breath, filling her lungs, building up her courage. Flicking her gaze out over her awaiting family, Alexis, Martha, and Jim. Her father raised his eyebrows in question. Kate gave a nod, signaling that she was ready. Jim readjusted his hold on the duffel bag and his suitcase and turned back around, striding with measured steps towards the exit. Martha followed behind him, with Alexis. Kate and Castle took up the rear, clutching each other's hands for support.

The flashing lights blinded her the moment the sliding doors parted for them. Blinking in shock at the bombardment of clicks and whirls from the two dozen or so cameras flashing around them, Kate stumbled back a bit, unconcerned with how she may appear. She eased into Castle's side as he draped his arm around her shoulders. This was his world. He knew how to deal with it. She'd let him take the lead for once.

The second they stepped out into the open the questions started. They were so numerous and varied, that Kate could hardly keep up. Some were simply along the lines of asking how it felt to be back, and whether or not they were considering suing Trop-Air. Castle did his best to answer, remaining as vague in his answers as he could. Kate stayed by his side. Though she shunned anything to due with the press, she wasn't going to abandon him to the wolves. She did have her principles after all.

"Find any polar bears, Ricky?"

"Was there really a smoke monster?"

Castle, not really paying attention to the content of the questions opened his mouth to respond before realization as to what they were asking struck him. "Huh?" he furrowed his brow. "What?"

Kate glared at the two paparazzi that had asked the questions. Before she could stop herself, her mouth was opening, "Seriously? A polar bear and a smoke monster? We live in the real world, fellas. There was nothing fantastical about being stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere."

The cameras went crazy, and Kate squinted her eyes as the flashing lights blinded her. Oh no. She'd done it. She'd fed the animals, and they were ravenous. Castle turned against her, and brushed his mouth against her ear.

"What happened to me doing all the talking?" he asked.

She flicked her eyes up to him and had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. "Those questions were ridiculous, Castle," she grumbled. "I couldn't help myself."

"I think it's time we get out of here," Castle asserted, tightening his hold around her as he directed her towards the town car. He gave the driver a nod of his head, and the man opened the door for them. But the sight of them preparing to enter the town car didn't deter the wolves, not that she had expected it to.

"Detective! Detective Beckett!"

The paparazzi crowded around them, calling her name. The cameras flashed as they took uninvited photos of the two of them as they tried to walk to the awaiting town car at the curb. Jim was trying to block their way, but the paparazzi were relentless.

"What's it like to be engaged to Richard Castle?"

"How's the sex!?"

"When's the wedding?"

"Are you still his muse!?"

"Any chance of a baby soon?"

Kate gritted her teeth, knowing just how close to the truth that question really was. She couldn't believe that they were still interested in that sort of gossip. If they had to ask question, why couldn't their questions actually relate to what had happened? They'd asked Castle those questions, and he'd answered. Why wouldn't they ask her the same questions? It boggled her mind and confused the hell out of her. It just proved how lost she was in Castle's world.

"Here, let me help you," he offered his hand as she ducked her head to enter the car.

The questions continued to be shouted at them, without stop. Kate eased over to the other side of the car, trying to block out the endless drone of the paparazzi and their silly, stupid questions. Frankly, none of it was really their business. Now that was something she wanted to tell them. Creasing her brow in annoyance, she glared out at the sea of cameras, as Castle tried his best to calm the storm. It wasn't working.

"Just ignore them, Kate," Alexis advised from her seat across from her. Martha nodded, letting out a hum of agreement.

Eventually Castle gave up on trying to corral the mass of photographers, and ducked his head down to join her inside the car. He scooted across the backseat, instantly reaching for her. She went willingly into his arms, just needing him. Kate was already feeling the stress from this encounter tense up her shoulders and neck muscles. Castle was the only one who could restore balance to her world. This wasn't exactly the homecoming either of them had planned or hoped for.

Her father was the last one in. As he slid down into his seat beside Rick, Jim glanced over at her with some concern etched on his features, no doubt from having witnessed his little girl clash with the paparazzi. She locked eyes with her dad and gave him a tiny nod, communicating with the gesture alone that she was fine. Leaning back into her seat, Kate relaxed her body and eased into Castle's embrace.

Jim reached for the door to close it, shooing away paparazzi that tried to snap an exclusive photo of the couple. He was just about to close the door when a rather brazen photographer shove his way halfway through the opening, camera held at an odd angle as he shouted his questions.

"Oh my!" exclaimed Martha, her face covered in shock.

Alexis groaned and shielded her face with her long red-hair, and Castle moved to intercept the man, growling out in anger. Kate furrowed her brow and stared at the man in disgust wondering just how low he was willing to sink to invade their privacy to such a degree. Thankfully, by now, the police assigned on patrol around the airport had arrived and were pulling the man back.

"Detective Beckett! Detective Beckett!" he shouted out as an uniform tugged him back. "Do you think the jury will convict him?"

"What?" she gasped, surprised by the question.

"Kate, _shh_, don't encourage him," Castle hissed.

The man struggled against the uniform, but was unable to resist in the end. Jim slammed the door shut with force, a breath leaving his lungs as he did so. Kate furrowed her brow, thoroughly confused. She'd seen that look on her father's face before. He looked… relieved. But it wasn't because the paparazzo had been extracted. No. It wasn't that. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her father's features as Castle's grip tightened around her, pulling her snug to his side while he instructed the driver to take them home.

Kate pursed her lips and knitted her eyebrows together, ruminating over the paparazzo's questions. They had nothing to do with the island, or her relationship with Castle. None at all. They were all about some big trial going on, and whether or not she thought that the jury would find the accused guilty or not. She had know idea what the man was talking about, but from the look on her father's face, it was something she should know. Something that was important to her.

"Dad," her steady voice silenced all other discussions going on.

Jim swallowed nervously and hesitantly turned to face his daughter. "Yes, Katie?"

"What aren't you telling us?"


End file.
